5 Research-Backed Reasons We Wear Makeup

Going out tonight? For many women, this means time in front of the mirror with an array of cosmetics. Minutes, sometimes an hour or more, and even the occasional professional consultation may be a part of the process of enhancing attractiveness. Within our bag of tricks, we typically find similar products—foundation, eye shadow and liner, blush, lipstick, etc.

But where did this particular assortment come from? Is there a psychological basis for the makeup we use today? And if so, can we use this to our advantage? Rather than asking "should women wear makeup?" while acknowledging that many women do, might we instead try to figure out why we wear the makeup we do wear?

We talk of cosmetics as products designed to enhance physical beauty, but what is "beautiful"? Cross-cultural research has demonstrated world-wide variations in what is physically appealing. Such relativity roots beauty in socialization, not evolution.

Thinness, for example, is not a universal feature of attractiveness. This was aptly noted by People magazine’s onetime "Most Beautiful Woman" Gwyneth Paltrow, who said, “If we were living in ancient Rome or Greece, I would be considered sickly and unattractive.”

Despite cultural variation, a few physical characteristics are generally considered universal markers of beauty. Human preferences may have evolved over millions of years to favor certain physical characteristics linked to reproductive fitness—youthfulness, for example, is a generally reliable cue for fertility, potentially explaining why it’s considered attractive. Likewise, skin homogeneity and facial similarity, both signs of good health, have wide appeal (Fink, Grammer, & Thornhill, 2001; Thornhill & Gangestad, 1993). To a lesser extent, other features associated with sexual arousal (plump lips, for example) may be perceived as beautiful, because they have reliably fostered reproduction.

Are today’s cosmetics consistent with these ideas? Here’s what we know:

Lipstick? Wear red. Women with red lips are in fact perceived as more attractive (Stephen & McKeegan, 2010). A recent field experiment showed that red lipstick influenced how quickly men approached women at a bar. In the study, women in red lipstick were approached sooner than those who wore no lipstick, brown lipstick, or (marginally) pink lipstick (Guéguen, 2012).

Foundation appears foundational. Perhaps because it evens skin tone, and therefore may give a stronger impression of health and symmetry, foundation is widely recognized as enhancing beauty. In fact, in one study, foundation was concluded to be the product making the most difference in female attractiveness after a group of men judged the attractiveness of women wearing different levels of cosmetic use, from none at all to complete makeup (Mulhern, Fieldman, Hussey, Leveque, & Pineau, 2003).

Focus on the eyes. In recent research, women rated eye makeup as the Number One product enhancing other women’s facial attractiveness (Mulhern et al., 2003). Eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara may exaggerate facial neoteny. In other words, adults are often viewed as beautiful when they have features typical of the young, including large eyes (as well as small noses and large lips). Such exaggerated youthfulness tends to have greater appeal (Jones et al., 1995).

A bit of blush. Why does rouge tend to be a staple cosmetic? Perhaps it’s because when women are most sexually viable (during mid-cycle during ovulation) or when they are aroused, they blush more easily. The application of artificial blush may mimic this vascularization, providing a subtle signal of sexual interest or arousal. This is in line with the link established by Elliott and Niesta (2008) between the color red and sex appeal.

Makeup simply makes you look healthier. Beyond any attractiveness measures, cosmetics may help women create certain favorable social perceptions. Indeed, a recent experiment revealed that women pictured wearing cosmetics were evaluated as healthier, more confident, and even having greater earning potential than the same women wearing no makeup (Nash, Fieldman, Hussey, Leveque, & Pineau, 2003). This suggests that makeup has a potentially useful role in strategic self-presentation.

In general, modern cosmetics do seem to target features that make sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Since women’s fertility is linked to youth and health, why not use makeup to promote impressions that are consistent with those characteristics?

As for the longstanding question of why most men don’t typically wear similar makeup, evolutionary psychologists might point out that men have different demands when it comes to reproduction. Instead of exaggerating youth and health to showcase their fertility, men, unburdened by a shorter fertile window, might focus instead on displaying wealth or resources, potentially valuable assets for women choosing partners (Buss, 1988).

In the end, makeup can make a difference in perceived physical attractiveness, but that only takes one so far: Despite the advantage that physical beauty may have for short-term relationships, people seeking long-term connection do prioritize “inner beauty” over exterior appearance—emphasizing, for example, kindness, intelligence, and a good sense of humor.

"Minutes, hours, and even the occasional hiring-of-the-professional" - Why do you bother wasting time and maybe even money on doing makeup?

"bag of tricks" - Why do you want to trick anyone? Why don't you just want to look like yourself?

"use this to our advantage when we’re looking for love" - Why do you want your advantage to be tricking someone into thinking you look a certain way, whether it be healthier, younger or sexier?

"wearing red lipstick affected how quickly men approached women at a bar" - Why are you looking for love in bars? Do you realize these men are going after the most painted up women?

"may give them impression of health and symmetry" - Why don't you just want to actually be healthy, instead of slathering chemical compounds on your face?

"women rated eye makeup as the number one product that enhances other women’s facial attractiveness" - Oh now I see what's going on here. Women are getting these tips from other women, and going through all this trouble just to appear more attractive to other women. Not because they want to date these women, but because they don't want these women looking down on them because of their natural appearance.

As a man, I actively avoid women that wear makeup because it's indicative of some sour personality traits. I don't want to be tricked into thinking the woman I'm talking to is younger or healthier, I simply want a youthful and healthy woman. Women will hopefully realize at some point that they are in fact the ones being tricked - by a multimillion dollar cosmetics industry and dishonest men that just want to have sex with them.

I don't know if Why Bother is real or not. However, I can assure you that I am real and I agree with absolutely everything he wrote. I am offended by makeup. I don't like to look at it. I don't like to touch it. I don't like to smell it. I don't like the stains it leaves. I'm trying to figure out how to tell my future daughter-in-law that I'd prefer she not accompany us to celebrate my birthday unless she leaves the makeup at home without causing her anxiety or making her despise me.

thank you sir for taking the most difficult choice when it comes about makeup and freedom of woman. sadly enough, the people i m around with does not comprehend me 'going without makeup' and i kind of got used to it. its okay now. but once in a very while i think, if someone(male) was there who would appreciate my real beauty. some times i think, its our society making us do this. to compete with everyone. i dont think if i have a choice. i mean sure i would love to go wedding and programs without makeup, but not sure if i ll blend in. a little bit makeup could solve so many problems.

If you treat a (rare) real man like he isn't real, then your paranoia and inability to respect him for all the effort he must put into maintaining being honest in this world - will cause anything you touch with it to be soured.
Been there myself and been abused by women so many times because of paranoia and their sexist assumption that all men are the same (whilst being proud to be unconventional women themselves, typically because Feminist theory makes them believe they can have their cake and eat it - ignoring the reality of evolutionary psychology and biology).

The above comment was in reference to a man being INTELLIGENT enough to see the world for what it is. Including through makeup use (over-use) and see women for what they are... including unconventional women's hidden sexuality etc.
However, the REAL question is one of Realpolitik in the modern age:
IS it even "intelligent" to refuse to bow-down and conform to the Groupthink and majority's delusions - when to choose to conform would give you far more power?
If we only leave the intelligent people ONE choice: to LIE to the idiots who need to be lied-to, and those idiots are more likely to be women, due to being protected from their own folly, then women need to start being VASTLY more responsible for the men they create in society. All men come from women (and to a lesser-extent, all women come from men, mothers have more influence than fathers, face it). The point is, we're all linked. Lying about this causes suffering when people expect to get away with abuses and shallow manipulations of all kinds, are a form of abuse. If you think about it: lying to someone is insulting them that they aren't intelligent enough to deal with the truth in a rational manner. If it has become a very safe assumption that women cannot be trusted with the truth - whose fault is this?
Weak people obsess about being 'strong'. Now look at current Feminist-derived obsessions with female strength to get a big clue as to what has been done to our female population. The Lady Doth Protest Too Much, and -project- too much, too...
Makeup and obsession with looks is a desperate measure, related to insecurity, in effect. Narcissism results from this background, once you add social media, and the whole exaggeration of negative tendencies that has happened.
Narcissistic women give birth to narcissistic men.
I've been accused of the latter, whilst my mother gets off scott-free, and the narcissistic women around me are ignored, whilst male 'crimes' are exaggerated-about.
Something has to give, and that's the delusions of modern women. Loving women MUST require holding them to high standards of intellectual integrity. Of course, this isn't popular amongst spoilt brats, is it? Too much like hard work, when one can just ride for free off the back of Western Female Privilege, instead. Look around with HONEST eyes, am I right? Following from that mentality, 'reframing' one's lack of good looks via makeup, becomes a more necessary tactic. Lying that fat women aren't attractive - and lying that it's men's problem for not deluding themselves on behalf of physically-lazy, desk-job-sedentary, lifestyle-incompetent women, is another attempted tactic. That is abusive use of psychological force against men. No better than wife-beating, in my unpopular-but-logically-consistent-for-once opinion! Use of force breeds use of different types of force. As an abuse-victim, I see things for what they are - abuse is a cycle, and women's place in is is often lied-about! So focus on physical (male) force is part of the lie. One day I hope humanity wakes up, because until then, problems aren't going to get fixed, just the scapegoating shifted onto new innocent victims. Then the cycle continues round and round, male and female alike caught-up in it and feeling powerless to change thus lying about the whole thing, as a form of escape. It takes more than that to break the cycle. It takes unity and love. Not use of manipulative force and selfish, insecure individualism. Wake up people.

it is the big monopoly of objectifying women and building profit upon insecurities the society has been manifesting for centuries for gender power play and separating mankind by keeping them in shallow waters.
disappointing article

The article isn't about whether women should or shouldn't wear make-up. It's also not about power or objectification. The article says, "hey, we already know that a lot of women wear make-up, and they seem to wear similar types... why might that be?" If you think about it, we could be going around highlighting our hair grey, emphasizing asymetries, and making our lips less prominent. Seems weird, but what we take for normal behavior is usually the most interesting. I like that the article tells us one possible reason why makeup and cosmetics take the form that they do today.

As a woman its mandatory you wear make and dress perfect for everything. Even just walking outside. Its exhausting. and almost every woman is considered ugly without makeup so your saying all natural females are ugly. Do you really want to live that way thinking half the population is just ugly? well we already do and have for a while and its not fun. Why shouldnt men be forced to wear makeup and shave their bodies too then?

As a woman its mandatory you wear make and dress perfect for everything. Even just walking outside. Its exhausting. and almost every woman is considered ugly without makeup so your saying all natural females are ugly. Do you really want to live that way thinking half the population is just ugly? well we already do and have for a while and its not fun. Why shouldnt men be forced to wear makeup and shave their bodies too then?

Mandatory? Forced? Who is forcing you to do any of the above? Your parents? Your siblings? Your extended family? Your next door neighbor? Some stranger who shops at the same grocery store? Who? If someone is forcing you against your will, this is an aggressive act of violation against your body and property. Call the police or protect yourself with justified self-defense.

At my place of work (I'm in finance) all women are required to wear makeup, heels, etc. or else they can get censured and fired. It's not like I get beat up if I go out without makeup but for many women if they want a good-paying career, wearing makeup is a requirement.

The dozy woman does not realise what she means to say is the truth: "Women are forced by sexual marketplace FORCES to compete with other women, including via the use of prosthetics, enhancements, surgery and makeup, as well as flattering clothes". Idiot women focusing on the SALE, instead of the after-sale, is the problem today. That results in manipulative men who do the same from their side, see? Shallow, shaky-foundations, no good for the long term health of anyone, really... and women are the controllers of sex, so only THEY hold the keys to change. They have to stop being so insecure and simply exercise and eat well. Genes are the main determiner anyway, so mostly it's an exercise in window-dressing, which is a waste of time. A lot of that is optional, IF the woman in question has the presence of mind to control her own self and be brave. Such women tend to be snapped-up in the marketplace in my experience.
Delusion is strong, however, so how many women admit all this and deal with it, I don't know? The majority? Maybe not, eh?

Although I feel a certain level of indignation over this article (as it sounds like you did) - I think your characterizations go a bit far and ignore that there are a lot of cultures in the US (I'm not talking ethnic here) in which those characterizations are not true. My experience of growing up in a small town in Alaska - not the case at all. Makeup and other physical accoutrements of "added beauty" were not all that common - certainly not required. I'm only reading this article because I am nervous about potentially living in a big city in which it may be culturally more expected to wear makeup.

I'm a guy. I'm married. When my wife is at work she applies a lot of make up. When we go out, she applies a lot of make up. When we go to the shops, she applies nothing. When we are at home she applies nothing. From a woman's perspective, why would you apply make up when your fella is not around or if you're in a club? I mean, I'm over reacting of course, but I feel how I feel. For the past 3 years she has not worn make up (when I say make up I mean the full works - like a hooker) and we got on fine, I'd tell her she was pretty and we got married so obviously she knew I was being honest... And yet, now, what's with the make up? What's with the red lipstick, and attention to eye art and blusher? Why has it all changed. Ok when we went out to clubs she'd do it... But why? I mean, she's snared me, I'm hers. Why is she then trying to make herself look sexy? If it's for me, then do it all the time, like when we're at home. I just find it weird. Perhaps there will be a lot of people conflicting with my opinion on this, and I respect that. Obviously the "whore" comment is a bit rich, I'm just a bit angry at the moment. I get the club thing perhaps, but the work thing? A lot of jealous questions. If she was like this from day one then it wouldn't be an issue, but now.... Anyways. Thoughts? I don't mind insults, if I'm being a jerk, please tell me.

Sounds like she has some deep-rooted self-esteem issues that are starting to emerge. She's looking for attention (love). When she realizes that the attention she needs has to originate from her, she won't care about impressing everyone else. My husband had to learn the hard way that it wasn't about him. I'm lucky to have an empathetic husband who has supported my journey and given me space to heal my childhood wounds. That's all your wife needs right now. Best wishes.

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